This invention relates to providing an improved shutter system for reduction of light emission into a building. Shutters generally utilizing pivoting louvers or slats for controlling the amount of light entering through a building light opening, such as a window or door, are well known (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,974,362 and 5,020,276). Such louvers typically consist of a blade or wing construction with two thinner-edged, longer longitudinal sides, separated by a thicker middle portion between them and two shorter transverse ends.
Typically, such shutters have a plurality of such pivoting louvers connected to a rectangular frame. The frame typically consists of two side members referred to in the art as stiles and a top and bottom member referred to in the art as rails. The louvers are connected together by a tilt rod such that they may be moved in unison. The tilt rod is typically a U-cross-section wooden rod which has staples inserted into the flat portion of the rod, which are coupled to staples inserted into one surface of a longitudinal side of the louver. Typically, the tilt rod is inserted on the front face of the shutter, the front face of the shutter being defined herein as that portion of the shutter facing away from the outside light entry, such as through a window.
Such louvers are typically connected to the rectangular frame such that the longitudinal sides of the louvers are substantially horizontal or in line with the rails. Typically, the shutter is considered in a closed position when the tilt rod is in its most upward position and the louvers are slanted in a substantially vertical position slightly overlapping each other. The shutter is considered in a fully open position when the louvers are in a substantially horizontal position with no overlap. The louvers are adjustable and may be partially opened to allow varying amounts of light to pass through them.
The present invention relates generally to shutters in which the louvers are arranged such that the louvers never extend beyond the plane of the rear face of the frame (as referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,362), the rear face of the shutter being defined herein as the face opposing the front face. One of the problems with prior art shutters is that light penetrates through and around the shutter even when closed. One of these areas subject to such penetration is the area between the louver and the shutter frame. Another area that light penetrates through and around is along the side of a shutter such as when a shutter is covering a French door window. Yet another area of light penetration is in the framing around arched shutters that are used to cover arched windows.
A primary object and feature of the present invention is to overcome the above-stated problems of the prior art.
It is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the light passing through gaps at the junction between the louvers and the frame of a shutter when the louvers are in the closed position.
Another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a system for reducing the light passing through the side of a shutter covering a French door window lite (i.e., pane of glass).
Yet another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a system for reducing the light passing through gaps at the framing of arched shutters.
A still further object and feature of this invention is to provide a novel and useful method of making shutters with such improved features.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system which is aesthetically pleasing, while minimizing light entry through the shutter.
A further primary object and feature of the present invention is to provide such a system which provides an improved system for maintaining the louvers in a user selected position.
A further primary object and feature of the present invention is to provide such a system which is efficient, inexpensive, and handy. Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent with reference to the following descriptions.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a shutter system for controlling entry of outside light into a building comprising: louver means for selectively regulating entry of the light into the building; wherein such louver means comprises a plurality of slats, each such slat comprising a pair of longitudinal edges, at least one slat end portion, each such slat end portion having a transverse edge; frame means for positionally supporting such louver means; wherein such frame means comprises at least one outside peripheral frame edge, at least one inside peripheral frame edge, a hollow middle area substantially equal in size to an area of light regulation by such slats of such louver means, a first face lying substantially in a first plane, and a second face opposing such first face and lying substantially in a second plane substantially parallel to such first plane; locating means for locating such louver means so that at least one such transverse edge is adjacent such at least one inside peripheral frame edge of such frame means, and no such longitudinal edges at such slat end portions extend beyond about such plane of such first face of such frame means; and blocking means for blocking substantially all the entry of the light adjacent at least one such slat end portion adjacent such at least one inside peripheral frame edge; wherein such first face of such frame means comprises such blocking means; and wherein such blocking means is located along such at least one inside peripheral frame edge; and wherein such blocking means extends inwardly from such at least one inside peripheral frame edge toward such hollow middle.
Additionally, it provides such a system further comprising: tilt rod means for operating such louver means; staple means for using staples to connect such tilt rod means to such louver means; wherein such staple means comprises at least one first staple penetrating at least one such slat of such louver means, and at least one second staple penetrating such tilt rod means, wherein penetration of such slat by such first staple is about one inch, and wherein penetration of such tilt rod means by such second staple is about one inch, wherein such first and second staples comprise a pivotable interlocking attachment between such first and second staples.
It also provides such a system wherein such frame means comprises an arch. And, it provides such a system wherein such blocking means comprises a rectangular-cross-section rod. Also, it provides such a system wherein such frame means comprises at least two stiles of approximately equal shape and at least two rails of approximately equal shape. Even further, it provides such a system wherein: such blocking means comprises a rectangular-cross-section rod; and such frame means comprises at least two stiles of approximately equal shape and at least two rails of approximately equal shape.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a shutter system for controlling entry of outside light into a building comprising: providing measurements of a rectangular area to be covered by a shutter; providing horizontal louvers of a selected standardized size; providing a pair of shutter side panels (stiles) of substantially equal size and permitting use of such louvers; providing a pair of shutter end panels (rails) of substantially equal size and having about the same width as such louvers; determine a number of louvers adequate to regulate light entry through a height approximately equal to the stile height less twice the rail height, assuming a desired minimum overlap between louvers; determine an actual louver vertical spacing, assuming equal overlaps between louvers; providing an appropriate number and spacing of louver pivot locations along an inside of each such stile; and assembling such shutter so as to provide a light blocker along an inside edge of each such stile structured and arranged to block entry of outside light between a louver end and an inside edge of a stile.
In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides an arched shutter system comprising: assembling, from at least one piece of wood, a rough arch-shaped blank of desired size; removing excess wood material to provide a substantially continuous curved first arch-shaped piece having a desired first inner radius and a desired first outer radius; making an arch-shaped cut through such first arch-shaped piece in such manner as to provide a second arch-shaped piece and a third arch-shaped piece, wherein such second arch-shaped piece comprises such first outer radius and a second inner radius, such third arch-shaped piece comprises such first inner radius and a second outer radius, and such second inner radius is slightly more than such second outer radius; using such second arch-shaped piece in the manufacture of a surface mount arched shutter outer frame; and using such third arch-shaped piece in the manufacture of a surface mount arched shutter inner frame.
It also provides such a system further comprising providing a sill as a bottom chord of such arched shutter outer frame, whereby a viewer seeing a xe2x80x9cmatchingxe2x80x9d rectangular shutter mounted directly below such sill will be less able to distinguish small vertical misalignments.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides an arched shutter system comprising: providing a second arch-shaped piece and a third arch-shaped piece, wherein such second arch-shaped piece comprises such first outer radius and a second inner radius, such third arch-shaped piece comprises such first inner radius and a second outer radius, and such second inner radius is slightly more than such second outer radius; using such second arch-shaped piece in the manufacture of an upper portion of a Z-mount arched shutter outer frame; using such third arch-shaped piece in the manufacture of a Z-mount arched shutter inner frame; assembling by attachment a three-part arched portion of such Z-mount arched shutter outer frame; wherein a first part comprises such second arch-shaped piece, a second part comprises a lower height (than such first part) arch-shaped spacer mounted to the rear of such first part, such second part having such second inner radius, a third part comprises an arch-shaped light blocking element mounted to the rear and below such second part, such assembled three-part arched portion comprises an approximate Z-shape; whereby the difficulties of cutting an approximate arched Z-shape from a single arched blank of wood are reduced.
In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a unitary outer frame for a shutter for an inside of a French door having a peripheral inside molding around an at least one glass pane comprising: frame means for positionally supporting a shutter; encasing means for encasing the molding in such manner as to permit the unitary outer frame to be adjacent the inside of the French door and adjacent such at least one glass pane; attachment means for attaching such unitary outer frame to such French door; wherein such encasing means and such frame means are opaque; whereby passage of light adjacent the molding is restricted. Moreover, it provides such a unitary outer frame further comprising: a shutter, having multiple slats, structured and arranged to block passage of light around at least one end of a such slat.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment hereof, this invention provides a shutter system for controlling entry of outside light into a building comprising: a shutter structured and arranged to regulate entry of the light into the building; wherein such shutter comprises a plurality of slats, each such slat comprising a pair of longitudinal edges, at least one slat end portion, each such slat end portion having a transverse edge; a shutter frame structured and arranged to positionally support such shutter; wherein such shutter frame comprises at least one outside peripheral frame edge, at least one inside peripheral frame edge, a hollow middle area substantially equal in size to an area of light regulation by such slats of such shutter, a first face lying substantially in a first plane, and a second face opposing such first face and lying substantially in a second plane substantially parallel to such first plane; such shutter and shutter frame being structured and arranged to provide that at least one such transverse edge is adjacent such at least one inside peripheral frame edge of such shutter frame, and no such longitudinal edges at such slat end portions extend beyond about such plane of such first face of such shutter frame; and a light blocker structured and arranged to block substantially all the entry of the light adjacent at least one such slat end portion adjacent such at least one inside peripheral frame edge; wherein such first face of such shutter frame comprises such blocker; and wherein such blocker is located along such at least one inside peripheral frame edge; and wherein such blocker extends inwardly from such at least one inside peripheral frame edge toward such hollow middle.
It also provides such a system further comprising: a tilt rod structured and arranged to operate such shutter; staples structured and arranged to connect such tilt rod to such shutter, at least one first staple penetrating at least one such slat of such shutter, and at least one second staple penetrating such tilt rod, wherein penetration of such slat by such first staple is about one inch, and wherein penetration of such tilt rod by such second staple is about one inch wherein such first and second staples comprise a pivotable interlocking attachment between such first and second staples.
Further, it provides such a system wherein such shutter frame comprises an arch. And, it provides such a system wherein such blocker comprises a rectangular-cross-section rod. Also, it provides such a system wherein such shutter frame comprises at least two stiles of approximately equal shape and at least two rails of approximately equal shape. It also provides such a system wherein: such blocker comprises a rectangular-cross-section rod; and such shutter frame comprises at least two stiles of approximately equal shape and at least two rails of approximately equal shape.